Home far sweeter for SDSU's Rahon

Outlook:
The game is part of the inaugural West Coast Classic, a five-team, 10-game “tournament” played on home floors through Dec. 1. SDSU plays the other three teams (Fresno State, Pacific and Northern Arizona) next week.

SAN DIEGO — As a transfer who must sit out this season, James Rahon is tasked with running the opposing team's offense at practice. Yesterday he was simulating Santa Clara's offensive sets, pretending to be high-scoring sophomore guard Kevin Foster and doing a darn good job of it.

He should. Rahon was Foster's roommate last year.

Rahon can't play for San Diego State in tonight's basketball game against Santa Clara at Viejas Arena, but it still figures to have its awkward moments for him, right down to the postgame handshake line. A year ago he was a freshman guard for the Broncos, averaging 11.3 points and making the West Coast Conference All-Freshman team. Now he's sitting on the opposite bench.

“I try to see it as just another game,” Rahon said. “But yeah, knowing the guys on the other team will be a little different.”

Players transfer more and more frequently these days (SDSU currently has seven), but what makes Rahon's move unique is that his move wasn't based on playing time. The Torrey Pines High star started 17 games as a true freshman at Santa Clara, averaged 27 minutes — third-most on the team — and was given the green light to launch 145 threes.

What more could he want?

“The coaches and staff, I can't complain. They're good coaches,” said Rahon, who has three years of eligibility remaining. “My teammates were cool guys. It just was the whole feel being away from home. I really realized what was important. I wanted to watch my (younger) brother play down here and be with my parents and family, and have them come to all my games.

“Also, being from San Diego, playing for San Diego is definitely something I take pride in — playing for my city is a big thing. There were important things I felt I was missing out on up there.”

Rahon's departure was not the smoothest. He and Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating never sat down to hash it out, instead trading quotes in the student newspaper. Rahon also claimed the school wanted to remove his scholarship for the spring quarter, an issue that eventually was resolved (Rahon finished the year at Santa Clara under scholarship).

A Broncos spokesperson said Keating declined comment about Rahon, deferred to a statement issued last spring that confirmed Rahon would transfer and said: “We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”

In April, Keating told the student newspaper,
The Santa Clara
: “It is disappointing for me because we have spent a lot of time, energy and effort recruiting James. We definitely had goals for our team that involved James' production for us.”

Said Rahon: “He took it a little hard.”

Santa Clara's loss, San Diego's gain. Rahon, who shot 40.7 percent behind the three-point arc for the Broncos, is expected to fill an immediate void next season with his deep range. He has grown an inch to 6 feet 4½ and gained 15 pounds to 205. His improved ballhandling gives the Aztecs depth at point guard as well.

“I really like it here so far,” Rahon said. “I think I made the right decision.”